The Hidden Sword
by bluejay
Summary: [Slight KxK fluff in last chapter] Koneko was raised to always uphold the family honor. But when she meets some new friends, she begins to question tradition...and finds herself.
1. Defending the Kitten

Standard disclaimers apply.

*********

**Chapter 1: Defending the Kitten**

Tetsuo wove through the traditional moves of his Hidden Sword technique, his sword's blade flashing here and there as the light touched it. But the flashes lasted for only a second, making the technique seem...hypnotic.

Koneko watched her father quietly, his back to her. She had seen his technique countless times, and the hypnotic effect no longer worked on her. But it was still breath-taking to watch as her father twisted and turned, using his body to block the light that would otherwise reveal his sword. It was an amazing use of stealth and shadows; become more unbelievable when done in the daylight.

She loosened her grip on her basket, her feet unconsciously mimicking her father's movements. It felt good to finally be at ease with the technique. She had been practicing it for years, constantly trying to get the feel of it. Her joy at finally being able to execute the maneuvers without stumbling was dampened only by the fact that her father wouldn't recognize it. He never does.

Koneko forced herself to stop, clutching her basket tightly. She was wasting time practicing when she was supposed to be walking. Reluctantly, she pried her eyes away from her father.

"I will be going to the market, father." she said out loud. "I need more vegetables for dinner."

She waited a moment for her father's acknowledgement, which never came. Sighing at her optimism, Koneko turned and left the hut.

Koneko always knew nothing would change her father's opinion of her. He had wanted a son, but all her mother could give him was a daughter. To say that he was devastated would be mild - especially when her mother died while escaping to Kyoto. So she grew up with a father who never acknowledged her and a constant flow of strangers who were told to ignore her. The little attention she wanted, she never got.

Koneko pushed away the memories of her life and thought instead, of the vegetables she would need. Chihiro-san would have most of what she needed. But for the mushrooms, she'll have to go to the other end of the market.

She stopped as she entered the market, wondering at the number of people talking in groups. The air around the place was tense, tinged with fear. Koneko slipped a hand to the handle of her dagger, hidden in her kimono. She continued walking to Chihiro-san's stall, keeping herself alert for any danger around her.

"Konnichiwa, Koneko-san!" Chihiro's cheerful greeting floated to her through the crowd. 

"Konnichiwa," Koneko greeted back, making her way to the portly woman standing beside a wooden stall filled with vegetables. "Has something happened?"

"Hai," Chihiro nodded, her grin faltered. "Those men...those men from the Ranmyaku-gumi. They've been causing all sorts of trouble."

Ranmyaku. She knew that gang. "What trouble?"

Chihiro nervously wrung her hands. "They come here asking people where Hiroshi is and destroying the stalls when they don't receive an answer."

"And ruin your wares?"

The portly woman shook her head vigorously. "Not just that. Sometimes...sometimes they kill the people too."

Koneko's eyes narrowed. "Why won't you fight back?"

"They're too strong for us. Too fast. We only sell our crops, we do not fight."

Koneko regarded the woman, knowing well what she was imploring. Chihiro had seen her fight before. Had seen her defend herself against would-be thieves. It was why she always told Koneko the troubles she faced. Even if Koneko didn't always help her out.

But Koneko knew that Chihiro was right. Just as she knew the Ranmyaku. The people at the market do not usually have time to train in any combat and members of the Ranmyaku have been known for their prowess. Her assent would be the only thing that would soothe Chihiro's fears. And knowing them, the other merchants in the market would be appreciative of her defense as well.

But Koneko had other duties.

"I have need of your crops, Chihiro-san." Koneko said carefully, keeping her voice calm.

Chihiro's hopeful gaze fell on her wares, nodding dejectedly. "They are the same price as before, Koneko-san."

Koneko gathered the vegetables into her basket, picking out the best of the lot. Her experienced eyes found the small bumps that many people would look over. And her hands easily noted which ones were of the right size for her needs.

She had almost filled her basket when she felt the tension increase - and the unmistakable crash of a wooden stall being beaten to the ground. She also heard the sound of footsteps and jeering laughter coming closer to where she was.

Chihiro gasped in fear, stepping behind her stall.

"How about you, girl?" a snotty voice spoke behind Koneko. "Would you know where Hiroshi is?"

"I do not know of anyone named Hiroshi." she replied calmly. "Please move on, you are disturbing my friend."

"Your friend?" Snotty voice stepped closer until he was beside her. "Girl, do you know who we are?"

Koneko put down her basket, calmly turning to face him while she kept one hand on her hidden dagger. She wasn't surprised about his muscular appearance, just like the other youths with him. But she knew the difference between appearances and trained deadliness. "You are the new, untrained recruits of the Ranmyaku-gumi," she answered calmly. "And you are looking for someone named Hiroshi."

Snotty voice grinned as one of the youths muttered, "What a snotty girl."

"It's obvious you don't know how strong the Ranmyaku is." Snotty voice brought his hand to his sword. "And we _have_ been trained. We just don't look like it."

Koneko met his brown-eyed gaze silently, letting her cynicism show in her eyes. She knew of the Ranmyaku. Some of its members had visited her father at times. And she knew that the Ranmyaku never bragged about their prowess in such a brash manner. Her hand clutched the hilt of her dagger and secretly prepared herself for a fight.

"So, you don't believe me, do you?" Snotty voice said.

"No, I don't."

"What if I show you our training then?" he sneered, drawing his sword.

"I'd put that sword back if I were you." a new voice emerged from the growing crowd of onlookers.

Koneko glanced at the red-haired man that stood casually at the front of the crowd. He was as lanky as these men looked brawny. For a second, her eyes lingered on the hilt of his sword but she silently urged him not to be heroic.

"What's this?" Snotty voice asked. "You're actually telling me to put my sword back? A short man like you?"

The rest of the youths laughed but the lanky man remained calm. "I'm not telling you. I'm asking you."

"He's _asking_?" Snotty voice turned to the others. "Can you believe that? He's _asking_ me! How idiotic could you get?"

"As idiotic as you are, maybe." Koneko muttered. She could handle the handful of youths alone. Is this man trying to be chivalrous?

Snotty voice paused, turning to her again. "What did you call me?"

"You heard it the first time." Koneko stared defiantly at his suspicious glare. "Ba-ka."

This time, the rest of the youths drew their swords as Snotty reddened with rage. "We'll teach you to mess with the Ranmyaku."

"You'll teach her nothing." the lanky man had suddenly stood in front of her, hand near his sword. "If you don't want to get hurt, you will put back your swords and turn away now."

"What are you doing?" Koneko whispered in the lanky man's ear.

"Giving you a chance to leave." came his reply.

"Leave? I can take care of them myself! This isn't your fight!"

"It is now." his words were cut off when the youths suddenly shouted and charged at them.

There was the sound of a sword being unsheathed and parrying that of another. The lanky man had met Snotty's overhead strike with a block of his own. But the other youths were coming in for the attack.

In the moment it took Koneko to slip her dagger out, the red-haired man had suddenly become a blur of movement. He darted in and out, parrying attacks and making his own in the space of a heartbeat. Koneko was stunned. She had never seen anyone move so fast. But her amazement wore off when she spotted two of the youths separate from the group, heading towards a fleeing Chihiro.

Koneko ran, holding out her dagger at the last minute to drive one youth's sword away from its intended target and into his partner's path. She danced away as the two of them spun to face her, their faces angry. She parried the first youth's swing, ducked under the second's, and nicked both their sword arms. Their relentless attack told her that they were too focused on the fight to notice any stinging pain; so Koneko changed her target areas.

"Illusion of Light." She whispered, shifting her grip on her dagger and letting a bit of light shine on the blade for a second or two. The first of the youths closed the distance between them and she quickly side-stepped his blade, jabbing the hilt of her dagger to his stomach and knocking the wind out of him. Next, she alternated between twisting her wrist and blocking, letting the second youth see the flashes of her dagger. When he began blocking her swings, Koneko moved quickly. She raised her hand for a diagonal strike, letting the light reflect off her blade, and swung downwards. The youth's sword rose to block it but she shifted her arc; passing underneath the sword, bringing it around and up to bash the side of his face with the hilt. The youth fell to the ground, dazed.

She turned to help the red-haired man finish off the others but he had already taken care of all but one, a youth that was clearly frightened at the sight of his defeated comrades. Before the red-haired man could make his move, the youth turned and ran away, dropping his sword in the process.

Koneko glanced around at the downed Ranmyaku recruits. Surprisingly, there wasn't any blood.

She turned questioningly to the red-haired man only to see him looking at her. At that moment, one of the youths stirred. Koneko readied herself for another fight but the youth took one look at the lanky man and ran. As soon as the others woke up, they too, ran away without their swords. Relieved now that the fight was over, Koneko returned her dagger back to its sheath and saw the red-haired man do the same with his sword. But not before Koneko saw the blade for what it is: a reverse-edged one.


	2. The Encounter

Standard disclaimers apply.

*********

**Chapter 2: The Encounter**

"Daijoubu de gozaru ka?"  
  
His voice took her attention away from his sword and back to him. "Daijoubu," she started to say when another voice cut in.  
  
"Kenshin!" A girl with her hair tied in a ribbon sprinted up to him. "Daijoubu desuka?"   
  
"Daijoubu de gozaru yo." Koneko heard him murmur when she was suddenly engulfed by two arms.  
  
"Koneko!!" Chihiro cried happily. "You saved me! How can I ever thank you?"  
  
"But Chihiro-san," Koneko pried the portly woman's arms away from her. "I didn't do all the work."  
  
"But you saved me! You saved my life, Koneko-chan. Take what you want from my wares, free of charge."  
  
"Chihiro-san!" Koneko drew back in surprise. "I thought you needed the money!"  
  
"Not as much as I need my life." Chihiro said. "I owe you a lot, Koneko-chan. And I'm sure we all owe your friend, too."  
  
A chorus of agreement followed her announcement, the merchants grinning widely as they presented their own wares to the lanky man.  
  
"No, thank you," he raised a hand to forestall their offer. "You need it more than Kaoru-dono or I do."  
  
"We insist," Chihiro said. "It's our only way of thanking you."  
  
"Chihiro-san," Koneko smiled. "You have thanked me enough by being my friend. Please, let me pay for this."  
  
"Surely you would-"  
  
"No, Chihiro-san. Just don't ask me to join you." she placed a hand on the portly woman's arm to soften her words. "I would love to help protect you but my father needs me. And I have a duty to him, as his daughter."  
  
Chihiro snorted. "Your father doesn't even know the treasure he has!" But she smiled at Koneko and nodded. "Hai, I will take your money. But only because you told me to!"  
  
"I tell you to." Koneko repeated, nodding.  
  
"We tell you to, too!" the girl with the ribbon cut in. "It's nice of you to offer your crops but we can't just accept it! It's not fair for us to be gifted so just because we fought off the Ranmyaku. Anyone would do the same!"  
  
Chihiro grinned. "Alright, if you insist. You may pay for your purchases."  
  
The other merchants started returning to their stalls, the spectacle over. Koneko smiled as she reached for her money and paid for the vegetables she chose. But when she leaned in to take her basket, she heard Chihiro whisper, "In truth, not anyone would do the same as you did."  
  
Koneko started to reply but when she looked up, Chihiro had already turned away as though nothing had happened. Koneko silently bowed her head and walked to the other end of the market. She still had mushrooms to pick.   
  
Thankfully, nothing else happened and Koneko was able to buy the mushrooms without drawing her dagger. She started to leave the market and counted her money, expecting to have a larger amount than she would normally have. Chihiro and the other merchants were too proud not to give something back as a token of gratitude. Koneko was sure that the red-haired man and the girl with him would go home with more money than they expected as well.  
  
Her hand brushed against the bulge in her kimono, where the dagger was hidden. The lump was small enough not to be seen but had plenty of room to move it with ease. Her father had a dagger hidden similarly. All who were trained in the Hidden Sword technique had one. But she wasn't really trained in the technique. Not properly. She had had to buy her own dagger with money she received from grateful people in situations not unlike Chihiro's. The only difference was...  
  
Koneko was so deep in thought she didn't notice the person coming up beside her until she bumped into him. Or her, Koneko corrected as soon as she saw the blue ribbon and the long, dark hair.  
  
"G-gomen!" she gasped, more from surprise than apology.  
  
"Gomen nasai!" the girl staggered for a bit before recovering her balance. When she looked up, her blue eyes widened with shock. "Y-you're the girl Kenshin fought with!"   
  
"Iie," Koneko shook her head. "He fought alone. I only helped him."  
  
"Kenshin said you fought together." the girl shrugged. "But it doesn't matter. Arigatou, for helping him."  
  
"Y-you're welcome. But he didn't have to fight them."  
  
"Oh Kenshin does that a lot of times. As long as there's someone in trouble, he goes off to help. I'm Kaoru, by the way."  
  
"I'm Koneko."  
  
"You fight well, Koneko-dono," the red-haired man suddenly came up behind Kaoru. "Chihiro-dono tells me this isn't the first time you've saved her."  
  
"Chihiro-san can be gossipy when she wants to." Koneko grinned. "She's probably very flustered to have someone call her 'dono.' "  
  
"Kenshin calls everyone 'dono.' " Kaoru waved it off. "I've been trying to stop him from doing it."  
  
"Oro?"  
  
" 'Oro?' " Koneko repeated, puzzled.  
  
"That too." Kaoru said, frowning at Kenshin.  
  
"Orororo?"  
  
Koneko giggled. The two of them acted as if they were married already but from the lack of rings in their hands, she guessed they weren't. But then, they might not be following European customs so readily.   
  
Koneko shook her head. She was being too nosy to think that. Her father would disapprove of it if he found out.  
  
"I have to go." she said out loud. "My father is expecting me."  
  
"Hai," Kaoru nodded. "We must be on our way too. It was nice meeting you."  
  
"Same here." Koneko bowed. "Sayonara."  
  
"Sayonara!" they both called as she turned and hurried home. With everything that's happened, Koneko didn't realize she had been out longer than usual until she met those two. Her father would be worried about her...or not. Tetsuo didn't seem to notice her comings and goings. He wasn't likely to notice it today. But she still had to cook dinner.  
  
Koneko didn't really want to leave the company of those two. They seemed so...open, and so trusting.   
  
She reached the hut not long after and went to search for her father. When she found him, he was cross-legged in the backyard, meditating with his sword at his side. Not wanting to disturb him, Koneko started to back away.  
  
"Koneko."  
  
She froze, startled that her father had called her. "H-hai, otosan?"  
  
"You're home late."  
  
"I-I met some friends, otosan." she stammered in reply, unsure of what to say. "We...talked for some time."  
  
"Were they Europeans, Koneko?" her father turned to face her, his eyes glittering with barely concealed anger.  
  
"Iie, they were Japanese. Same as us."  
  
Tetsuo's face softened just the slightest bit and he went back to meditating. "Keep away from those Europeans. Their open display of affection, disgraceful."  
  
"Hai, otosan." she waited for him to say something else but when none came, she left to start dinner.  
  
It was strange that Tetsuo would notice her coming home late. It was the first time she did but...does that mean he noticed all her comings and goings? If he did...then he does care about her!  
  
Koneko stopped midway to the kitchen. Her father cared about her. He might not show it, but many parents don't either, do they? He cared about her.  
  
Overjoyed, Koneko continued on her way to the kitchen. She happily chopped up the vegetables she had bought, quickly turning it into a soup. She still had rice left over from the sack she bought days ago and she boiled that. There was some fish she had caught this morning before she left for the market and she began frying them. When they were done cooking, she served as much food as she and her father needed, adding another helping for guests. Her father usually had guests come over to visit.  
  
Time passed and soon the two of them ate their dinner without a word, as always. But for once, Koneko didn't mind the silence. Her father cared about her, that's all she needed to know.  
  
They were halfway through their meal when they both heard a knock on the door. Tetsuo got to his feet to answer it as Koneko quickly finished her meal. She was done and carrying out her dishes to wash when voices told her of her father's return. She slid the door closed, pausing only when she heard a strange excitement in her father's voice. But when she heard his guest, Koneko quickly peered in through the slit she left.  
  
It was Snotty! The leader of the group who attacked Chihiro!  
  
"It's happening tonight." Snotty was saying. "They found out where Hiroshi lives and they are now organizing the group."  
  
"Good." Tetsuo replied. "The sooner we get rid of those traitors, the better."  
  
"There will be a lot of guards around Hiroshi's place. We weren't exactly secretive when we tried to find out where he lives."  
  
"All the better to make them think their ploy is working. They won't have to know we have someone within their group until it's too late."  
  
"So we were just a decoy?"  
  
"Yes," Tetsuo nodded. "But a very important one at that. We have to make them think they're too smart for us. It softens them, makes them relax. They will not expect us to strike tonight."  
  
"Okawara would be pleased to have you with us. He will be at the Iwata district."  
  
"Then we must leave. Tomorrow will be a new day of fear for the Meiji government."  
  
The two of them stood up and left, their voice quickly fading. Koneko stood in stunned silence. Her father was working for the Ranmyaku-gumi, the group that attacked Chihiro-san and the others. But for what?  
  
She slid the door open, clutching the hilt of her dagger. Snotty had said something was going to happen tonight. And she was going to find out what.

Chapter 3


	3. The Hitokiri Battousai

Standard disclaimers apply.

*********

**Chapter 3: The Hitokiri Battousai**

The moon shone brightly enough for Koneko to see her path. They would be at the Iwata district, they said. And that's where she should go.

Her thoughts churned around her father, the Ranmyaku-gumi, and Hiroshi. From what she heard, the Ranmyaku had been looking for Hiroshi and that the youths who attacked Chihiro-san were only decoys to confuse Hiroshi's guards.

But who was Hiroshi? And why do the Ranmyaku want him? Her father said something about getting rid of traitors including Hiroshi. But who were the others? And what did Hiroshi betray?

Koneko increased her pace. She knew her father was there. And because of that, she knew someone would be killed tonight. And she didn't want that to happen until she understood why.

She reached the Iwata district shortly, a little out of breath. Street lights gave a clear view of a quiet street, with no figure in sight. Koneko walked into the town, alert for any movement. Nothing.

They must have left earlier, since no one was here. Koneko was too late.

Suddenly, shouts came from somewhere to her left. She ran towards the source, her hand on her dagger. The shouts had increased now, added by gunshots and cries of agony. Koneko ran faster. Shadows moved far ahead, growing larger by the minute. Gunfire flashed briefly among the shadows. Koneko stopped running and ducked into an alley.

Soon, the shadows were close enough for her to see them - and their uniforms.

Police! Koneko drew back at the sight of the police, accompanied by other men with guns. They were running in the direction where Koneko had come, some of them occasionally shooting behind them. They had already passed her when she heard the sounds of more footsteps.

She peered around the corner of the alley to see who were the men chasing the police. When she recognized one of the faces, she quickly brought out her dagger, holding it against her arm. Her father had Ranmyaku members visiting him for the past few days. And she saw one of them among the group that was chasing the police. If her father was working for the Ranmyaku...

Iie. The police were shooting at the Ranmyaku. And it was the Ranmyaku who attacked Chihiro-san. Then Koneko would have to help the police, just as she helped Chihiro-san.

She charged against the first Ranmyaku that came into view, plunging her dagger into his throat. His gurgling cry caught the attention of the Ranmyaku around him and they quickly circled around her. She had diverted them from the police, and now all she had to do is to defeat them.

But as she looked into the faces around her, she knew fighting them wouldn't be easy. These were the trained members of the Ranmyaku. One of the men charged her and she speedily danced away. She swung her dagger to meet another's incoming slash and ducked under yet another. She kept her senses alert, anticipating her opponents' next move and avoiding their blades. As she smashed her hilt to one man's face, she was glad she didn't see her father with them.

Koneko twisted and spun, blocking swords and side-stepping others. She jumped to avoid one blade when another moved in and bit into her leg. She managed to keep from crying out but when she landed, her leg collapsed beneath her.

She rolled away from a downward swing; the next one glanced off the blade of her dagger. And still the Ranmyaku pressed closer.

"Ryu Tsui Sen!" she heard a familiar voice at the same time a figure dropped on top of the Ranmyaku in front of her.

"Kenshin-san!" Koneko gasped.

"Ha! These punks are no match for my...Futae No Kiwame!" a tall man suddenly barged into the Ranmyaku from the side, forcing them to split into two groups. "Take that! And that!" the man let go of a barrage of punches, bringing down a number of Ranmyaku before they could react.

Koneko shakily got to her feet, favoring her injured leg. Shouts were already coming in from all sides, followed by running figures. But Kenshin and the tall man paid no attention. The two of them kept at the Ranmyaku with sword or fists, fighting with so much speed the Ranmyaku couldn't strike back. Even masters of the Hidden Sword would be hard pressed to match those two.

"Oi!" a figure shouted, coming into view. Koneko recognized his police uniform...and his gun. "Drop your weapons!"

"Koneko-dono," Kenshin's soft voice called to her. "Daijoubu de gozaru ka?"

"Daijoubu, Kenshin-san." Koneko answered shakily, realizing that the fight was over and that the police were taking care of the Ranmyaku. "It's the second time you've asked me that."

"You're bleeding," Kenshin sheathed his sword, bending down to take a closer look at her leg. "We'll take you to Megumi-dono."

"I'll be fine," she stepped back, embarrassed at having a man peer at her leg. "I can walk."

"The heck you can." the tall man scoffed. "I'll carry her, you deal with the police."

Before she could even protest, the tall man had hoisted her in his arms and ran into the night. She clutched at his shirt, not because she was frightened but because of the shooting fire in her leg. His grip wasn't tight at all. But every step he made jolted her. Her mind reeled. She needed to forget the pain. She needed to think of something else other than the wetness in her calf.

"The...Ranmyaku. They were after someone." she finally gasped, grabbing at the first thing that came to her mind.

"That's right." the tall man answered. "They were after Hiroshi Akio."

"Who is he?"

"Just a government official who makes a lot of negotiations with foreigners."

"Including...Europeans?" 

He gave a tight smile. "Especially Europeans."

Koneko stared at his face for a while longer, recalling her father's conversation with Snotty. Traitors. Tetsuo hated the Europeans for the changes they brought to Japan. He hated them for the religion they brought to the mother country, the government they forced, and the traditions they broke. He hated them with a vengeance for meddling in affairs that should be left for the Japanese to deal with. The Ranmyaku-gumi must feel the same way. Her father wouldn't speak with them if it were otherwise.

"Hey, you going to sleep?" the tall man asked, interrupting her thoughts. "You went quiet all of a sudden."

"Iie," she shook her head. "I was just...thinking."

"About what happened?" he chuckled. "The Ranmyaku came early and almost managed to kill Hiroshi. But they didn't expect Battousai to be there and Hiroshi escaped."

"B-Battousai?"

"Yep. The one and only Hitokiri Battousai."

"B-Battousai was there?!" she grabbed fistfuls of his shirt, incredulous.

"Hey, hey, not so tight! I just had this shirt fixed!"

Koneko loosened her grip. "G-gomen. But Battousai was there?"

"Yeah. But he had a change of heart a long time ago. He doesn't go around killing people anymore so don't worry about that."

But Koneko wouldn't relax. If her father knew that the Hitokiri was there, Tetsuo would challenge him! He had longed to face the Hitokiri himself, to finally put to the test the strength of the Hidden Sword. But the Hiten Mitsurugi was powerful! Her father would never win against a style as powerful as that.

She clutched the hem of his shirt again, fear in her voice. "W-Was there a man with a silver lock to his hair?"

The tall man looked at her curiously. "No, can't say I've seen him."

Koneko exhaled in relief. "A-arigatou." 

"What for?"

"Nothing. Nothing in particular." she relaxed. "I didn't catch your name."

"Sanosuke. Friends call me Sano."

"I'm-"

"Koneko. I know. Kenshin told me."

"Kenshin told you?"

"Yep. He's my friend. Why else would I be fighting with him?"

"Uh, h-hai. Why else?" she smiled in spite of herself. "Arigatou, for saving me."

"Don't mention it." he finally stopped in front of a modest-looking house. "We're here."

Chapter 4


	4. Dread

Standard disclaimers apply.

*********

**Chapter 4: Dread**

"The wound isn't very deep." remarked Megumi as she applied a poultice on Koneko's leg. The lady doctor was still awake by the time Sano entered with Koneko, seeking her help. She then ordered Sano to set Koneko down on a table and proceeded to examining the injury. Cleaning it and making a poultice didn't take long and Koneko was soon able to hop off the table.

"Just let it heal for a few days and there won't be a scar." Megumi instructed, gathering her medical things to the cabinet.

"Arigatou, Megumi-san." Koneko said as she fixed her kimono around her legs, conscious of Sano leaning against the doorframe.

The lady doctor closed the cabinet doors. "If you stay away from fights, you'll heal faster."

"I-I'll see what I can do."

"If you're anything like Kenshin," Sano interrupted. "You can't help but get involved."

"As if you're not like Kenshin either, baka tori." Megumi commented.

"Who're you calling 'baka,', kitsune-onna?"

"Only a certain tori-atama."

"Oi!"

Koneko glanced at the door when she heard footsteps. Megumi-san didn't say that she was expecting somebody, but doctors are usually alert to unexpected patients. And it might be Kenshin, checking on them after talking with the police. Whoever it was, must be someone familiar. Koneko didn't think anyone would be cruel enough to attack a doctor in her own home.

She absently watched the door slide open, revealing a familiar red-haired man in a purple hakama. He regarded the bickering couple with surprised eyes and quickly raised his hands in a peace gesture. "Maa maa, Sano, Megumi-dono. Do you have to fight so often?"

"I wouldn't have to if baka tori weren't so baka." Megumi replied.

"And kitsune-onna keeps thinking she's so smart." Sano snorted.

"Of course I am!"

"Sez who?"

"I say so! And you claim you're smart!"

"I am smart! I've gone through a lot of fights with Kenshin..."

"Oro?" said Kenshin, startled.

"...and come out of them in one piece! That requires cleverness!"

"In one piece?" Megumi was incredulous. "I always run out of bandages every time you come to me after a fight and you say you come back in one piece? And don't bring Kenshin into this! He has a lot more sense than you do."

"Ororo?"

"Some sense!" Sano huffed. "How can you say he has sense when he keeps up with that 'oro' of his?"

"Maa maa, can't we all just get along?" Kenshin was waving his hands now, still with his placatory smile that was rapidly turning into a hopeless one.

"Are they always like that?" Koneko asked him, watching the two from the corner of her eye.

"Not always." Kenshin had a sheepish grin as he turned to her. "There were a few times when they behaved properly."

"Only a few?"

He sighed in defeat. "Hai, de gozaru."

"And they always ignore you when you try to placate them."

"Hai, de gozaru." His grin was increasingly sheepish.

Koneko returned his grin with one of her own. "Let me try." She turned to the bickering couple and raised her voice a few notches. "Minna! I think it's about time I returned home."

"Home?" Megumi stopped arguing and turned to her. "Aren't you staying with Kenshin?"

Koneko shook her head. "Iie. My father will be worried about me."

"It's late. You might as well stay the night with us." Kenshin offered.

"And there is no way I'm allowing you to walk all the way home with that leg of yours." Megumi said with finality. "Using it too long will only ruin all the work I did."

"But my father..."

"We will go with you when you return home in the morning." Kenshin smiled gently. "Your father will understand."

"You'll be sleeping with Jou-chan, if you're worried about that." said Sano.

Koneko glanced at their sincere faces, inwardly desiring to stay with them for as long a time as possible. They were all so open and cheerful... But then there was her father. He would be worried about her, as he had been when she came home late this afternoon. Koneko didn't want him to worry about her.

"Koneko-dono?" Kenshin asked softly.

She smiled at them half-heartedly. "Hai, I'll stay with you. For the night."

"Then we'd better start walking back. I'll help you walk-"

"Iie, I can walk on my own." She took a few steps to prove her statement, not wavering once.

Kenshin nodded and started to leave. "We'll be seeing you tomorrow, Megumi-dono."

"Make sure you do, Ken-san."

"Sano?"

"I'm going back home in a while." Sano waved him off.

"Aa de gozaru. Oyasumi." Kenshin followed Koneko out the door, waving good night to his friends.

They walked in silence at first, respecting each others' privacy. Koneko's wound throbbed a little but she could easily ignore the feeling. Kenshin-san was nice enough to offer his help but being carried by men twice in one night would be too much for her father's wishes. And she didn't want Kaoru-san to assume anything bad. Kenshin-san had saved her life, the least she could do to repay him was to avoid getting him in trouble.

"Koneko-dono?" he called to her softly.

"Hai, Kenshin-san?"

"You seem to know the Ranmyaku-gumi."

Koneko almost missed a step but she quickly recovered her balance so it was barely noticeable. She had expected the question to be asked of her some time, but she didn't expect it so soon. She decided to tell him of what she knew for fact, and not her speculations. "My father had visitors from the Ranmyaku-gumi. Only on some nights. My father had a lot of visitors."

He was silent for a while as Koneko watched her surroundings, alert for any danger. After a second or two, he broke the silence. "Were you always close enough to hear them talk?"

"Iie," Koneko shook her head. "My father disapproves of eavesdropping."

"But tonight, you overheard them."

Koneko dropped her gaze to the ground. "I didn't mean to. But I did."

"And that's why you were at the Iwata district tonight."

"Hai."

They kept walking, gazing at the surrounding ahead of them.

"You don't always follow your father at night, do you?" Kenshin asked, his voice soft.

"Iie. I respect my father."

"Sessha knows you do, Koneko-dono. But what made tonight different?"

Koneko kept herself calm, forcing her mind to the simple act of walking. She didn't know Kenshin noticed or thought about these things. She didn't really expect him to be so observant. He always seemed so calm, she didn't realize his mind worked so sharply. She gathered her thoughts to herself, trying to think of a good answer to his question. One that wouldn't incriminate her father or herself. Keeping silent about it would only bring suspicion.

Koneko finally decided to say the truth, at least half of it. "One of the Ranmyaku who attacked Chihiro-san came to my father tonight, asking for help. I thought I would follow them just in case my father was attacked."

"And then you stumbled on the Ranmyaku-gumi."

"Hai."

She saw Kenshin nod from the corner of her eye. "They tried to kill Hiroshi tonight."

"I know. Sanosuke-san told me on the way to Megumi-san's."

"Did he also tell you that you saved Hiroshi's life?"

This time, Koneko stopped in her tracks, drawing a concerned look from Kenshin. "Koneko-dono?"

She shook her head, waving him off. "It's nothing. Just my leg."

"Is it painful?"

"A little. I'll be fine."

To her relief, he didn't push the issue. Koneko didn't think he would, if she said that she wasn't glad she saved Hiroshi. Instead, she was frightened. The Ranmyaku came out to kill a government official, bringing their plans into fruition. They will not be happy to have one person put all those plans to waste. And if she was right that her father was working for them...to have his own daughter bring their work to nothing...

It was only tonight that she began to dread going home to her father.

Chapter 5


	5. Stories Exchanged

"Kaoru-dono! We're back!" Kenshin called cheerfully into the darkened dojo. He had told Koneko a little about what Kaoru-san did for a living and her trouble in finding students. It was the reason why the Kamiya dojo was in such a state of disrepair.

"Kenshin!" a figure stumbled into view, holding out a lantern. "Kenshin! What took you so long? I was worried sick!"

"Sumanu de gozaru," He replied. "Sessha had to talk to someone..."

"Koneko-san!" Kaoru gasped.

Koneko bowed politely. "Konbanwa, Kaoru-san."

"Koneko-dono is staying here for the night." Kenshin explained. "Sessha will accompany her back to her home in the morning."

"I hope I won't be much trouble-"

"Iie!" Kaoru grinned widely, taking her hand and leading her into the dojo. "You won't be much trouble at all. Come, I'll show you where you can sleep. Oyasumi, Kenshin."

Koneko cast a fearful look at Kenshin but he only smiled in approval, returning Kaoru's greeting with his own. He must have known how hospitable Kaoru would be in welcoming visitors. But of course, the two of them must have know each other for a long time. And yet, they still weren't married...

"Here, you can sleep beside me." Kaoru dropped her hand and went to one of the closets. They had stopped in a room that was slightly larger than hers with a single futon on the floor. Koneko watched as Kaoru brought out another futon and rolled it out beside the one on the floor. Then she went to another closet and pulled out a simple yukata. "I think we're about the same size so you can borrow one of my yukata."

"A-arigatou..." Koneko held the robe in her hands, still unsure at Kaoru's openness. "K-Kaoru-san...?"

"If you're going to sleep here tonight, you can just call me Kaoru, okay?" Kaoru smiled.

"H-hai...Kaoru then..." she carefully folded the robe and laid it on the futon. Then she sat beside the folded yukata, easing her injured leg. "Kaoru, how long have you known Kenshin-san?"

"Since I was seventeen," the black-haired girl smiled wistfully. "He saved me from a thug who was trying to ruin the reputation of the Kamiya Kasshin."

"Kamiya Kasshin?"

"It's a fighting technique of protecting people without killing." Her eyes darkened with sorrow. "My father tried to teach that to Gohei but Gohei felt humiliated. So he went against my father's teachings and killed a lot of people."

Koneko reached out and grasped Kaoru's shoulder. "Gomen nasai. I shouldn't have brought up memories of your father."

"Daijoubu," the black-haired girl smiled, her sorrow fading. "You must think little of me, missing my father after so many years."

"Iie. I don't think little of you at all." Koneko forced herself to grin. "I still miss my mother. Though I was very young when she died."

"What happened?"

"She was shot. On our way to Kyoto."

"Shot?" Kaoru gasped. "By whom?"

"By our enemies," Koneko clenched her fists at the memory. "My father had a lot of them."

"I-I'm sorry to hear that..."

"Daijoubu. I've learned to live with it a long time ago." She smiled now, one she felt deeply. "Many lives have been lost to create the Meiji government."

"Hai." Kaoru nodded. "And that is why Kenshin tries to protect it. The Europeans have been generous enough to share with us their works and helped make progress in Japan. But some Japanese find it hard to accept them."

"How easy would it be to accept them? They've killed a lot of Japanese people!"

"And so did the Japanese. But even though there was a lot of bloodshed, we must learn to forgive them." She held Koneko's gaze. "It is why we are living so peacefully now."

For a moment, neither of them spoke. Koneko thought about her words, playing them over and over in her mind. Kaoru was so simple in her statements, and so idealistic. But she was still right. People must learn to forgive. Koneko started to nod. "Hai. Living a peaceful life."

Kaoru giggled. "I think we've stayed up long enough. We need to go to sleep."

"Hai." Koneko smiled politely, agreeing. The two of them quickly changed into robes before they lay back on the futon. After exchanging 'good night,' Kaoru promptly went to sleep. Koneko sat up in her futon, certain that the black-haired girl was asleep. She glanced at the door, noticing a slight shadow at the other side. She started to stand but thought better of it. If the shadow was an enemy, they would have barged in by now.

Koneko smiled. "Oyasumi, Kenshin." she murmured as she settled back into her futon. She stayed awake for a moment more, thinking about Kaoru's simple words. There was another reason why her father hated Europeans so much. One of them had been holding the gun that killed her mother.

Koneko closed her eyes and dreamed about her father.

Morning came a little too quickly for Koneko's taste, shining quietly against her closed eyelids. She turned to face the shade and opened them, at first wondering where she was. Then her leg started throbbing, bringing with it memories of last night. She slowly sat up, noticing Kaoru's missing futon and a strange kimono beside hers. She reached over to touch it-

The door slid open, filling the room with the smell of riceballs. Kaoru entered with a tray in her hands. "Koneko-san, you're awake!"

"Ohayo, Kaoru. And please, just call me Koneko."

"Ohayo." The black-haired girl gently set the tray beside Koneko. "I thought you might be hungry so I brought you some food." 

"Arigatou," Koneko said, offering to help her host clean up. But the latter refused adamantly so she settled herself to eating. 

"I hope you're not in a hurry to go back to your home." Kaoru continued. "Kenshin washed your clothes a while ago but it'll take some time to dry." 

Koneko stared at her. Kenshin washed her kimono? But he's a man! Was it all right for a man to wash her clothes? 

The black-haired girl turned to her, concerned at her lack of response. "You can borrow one of my kimonos if you want. I can-" 

"Iie, it's not that." Koneko shook her head. "K-Kenshin-san does the laundry?" 

"Hai. Kenshin always helps me with the chores. It's his way of paying me back for letting him stay at the dojo." 

"B-but doesn't he feel ashamed to be laundering your clothes?" 

"He doesn't mind. He's grown used to it." 

"I-I see." Koneko continued eating. Her hosts were strange in their way of thinking. They bicker like a married couple, they talk like a married couple, and Kenshin helps Kaoru with the chores like a married couple. But they weren't married! Is there something going on here? 

Her hand shook a little as she remembered her father. His marriage with her mother had been arranged by their parents, as was the custom, and they eventually grew to respect each other. When her mother died, her father missed her so much he never married again. Was it the same between Kenshin and Kaoru? 

"When you're done eating, we can accompany you back to your home." Kaoru offered. 

"Arigatou, Kaoru. But..." she set her chopsticks down, remembering her father's thirst for revenge. She didn't want to go back home to her father. Not yet. "Kaoru-san, would you mind teaching me the Kamiya Kasshin technique, before I go?" 

The black-haired girl looked back at her, surprise in her eyes. "I'd love to but, don't you want to go back home earlier?" 

Koneko dropped her gaze to her food. "I don't want to trouble you by borrowing your kimono. And you said that mine is still wet. I will leave when my clothes are dry." 

At the corner of her eye, she saw Kaoru nod. "Alright then. You can practice with my student, Yahiko."

"Anything would be fine." Koneko murmured as she finished eating her meal. If she stayed out long enough, her father might be too worried about her that he would forget about the dishonor she caused. Even though she knew it wasn't very likely, she told herself to believe it.


	6. For Honor

Koneko watched her host carefully as she went through a set of practice swings. She had explained a while ago that her student, Yahiko, was ordered to sweep the floors as punishment for calling her 'Busu' during breakfast. She then decided that Koneko should start with the practice swings instead of waiting for Yahiko to finish so they wouldn't waste time.

"Did you get that?" she asked Koneko, lowering her shinai.

"Hai."

"Good. Now I want to see you try it." she spun the shinai until the hilt was facing Koneko, who took it calmly. "Remember, the movements must be fluid."

Koneko nodded, swinging the shinai left and right to get its feel. It felt heavier than her dagger and its weight was more centered on the wooden 'blade.' Koneko would have to relax her swings a little to keep it from jerking too much.

She gripped the hilt firmly, keeping the point of the shinai in an angle pointing upwards. Her hidden dagger was a familiar lump at her side. Normally, she would have kept the 'blade' part of her weapon hidden, as her father did. But the Kamiya Kasshin does not require as much deceit - and less killing. 

Koneko swung the shinai as she had seen Kaoru do, striking at an imaginary opponent in front of her. She raised the shinai upwards and struck. Raise. Strike. Raise. Strike. She went through the exercise a few more times until Kaoru called for her to stop. 

"You're moving fluidly but your aim isn't straight." The Kamiya Kasshin instructor held Koneko's hands, guiding her swings into a straight line. "Remember, the goal of the Kamiya Kasshin is to protect without killing. So this exercise aims for the enemy's shoulders or head, knocking him unconscious and unable to fight. 

"When you're striking diagonally, like what you're doing, you're aiming for the enemy's neck. You could kill him by doing that." 

"Gomen." Koneko bowed her head, feeling once more the difference between the Kamiya Kasshin and the Hidden Sword. The latter taught her to kill with as few moves as possible, hence the importance for deceit. But the Kamiya Kasshin centers on fairness, the need to protect. It was a more bloodless technique that Koneko didn't think possible. "I will try again."

"Iie," Kaoru gently reclaimed her shinai. "Maybe you should see how the technique works so you will know its purpose better. Yahiko!"

The young student peered out from the dojo. "What?"

"Grab your shinai. I want to show Koneko how to fight with the Kamiya Kasshin."

Yahiko's face brightened as he ran to get his shinai. "Alright! Get ready to be defeated, Busu!"

"What did you call me!" Kaoru burst, her face reddening.

"Busu!"

Kaoru's knuckles grew white as she gripped her shinai tighter. "Out!! Now!!"

Yahiko had barely touched the ground when she charged at him, shinai swinging. Koneko watched as she pummeled him to the ground, attacking in different directions but always aiming for the least fatal areas. Yahiko never had a chance.

"Oro?" a surprised Kenshin rounded the corner, seeing the two battle. "Koneko-dono, what happened de gozaru?"

"He called Kaoru 'busu.'" she replied, still watching the two of them fight. Yahiko seemed to be trained well, as he blocked a number of Kaoru's swings. She winced as Kaoru gave a final blow to Yahiko's head, effectively flattening him on the ground.

"Just for that you can clean the dojo four times today! I want it spotless!" The black-haired instructor huffed and walked to where Koneko stood with Kenshin. "That should teach him."

"Maa maa, Kaoru-dono," Kenshin held his hands up in his peace gesture. "You've been beating him a lot lately."

"He's been calling me names a lot lately!"

"Maa, can't we all just get along?"

"Apparently not." Koneko giggled. "You're all too fiery of temper to let small things slide."

Kenshin turned to face her. "Koneko-dono, your clothes have dried already."

Koneko felt her good mood fade, replaced by cold dread. It was time Kenshin had accompanied her back to her house. And her father will be waiting. "Hai, Kenshin-san."

"Daijoubu desuka?" Kaoru asked concernedly. "Is your leg hurting? You turned pale all of a sudden."

"Iie, Kaoru." Koneko forced a smile. "Daijoubu. I-I need to change to my clothes."

"Hai. You go on to my room and I'll bring it there."

"Arigatou."

Koneko obediently went to Kaoru's room, a sinking feeling in her stomach. She had stayed here long enough; it was time she went back to her father...and to whatever punishment he has in store for her.

She forced herself to calm down. Her father wouldn't disown her. He couldn't. She was the one who did the household chores he didn't always have time to do. And even if he did disown her she could go and live with Chihiro-san, where her fighting skills were needed. And she could ask Kaoru to train her from time to time. Staying at the Kamiya dojo was out of the question. She had already asked a lot of them; it wouldn't be polite of her to ask if she could stay.

Kaoru passed by a few moments later with her clothes. She put them on quickly, pausing once at the sight of the bandage on her leg. She had fought trained members of the Ramnyaku. And in doing so, she had helped the police save a government official - and possibly brought dishonor to her family. Her father would be furious. She took a deep breath and continued dressing, placing her dagger into its hiding place. No matter what her father planned for her, she would have to face it. It was right that she would.

Kenshin and Kaoru were waiting for her outside by the time she finished dressing. She nodded to them wordlessly and began leading them to her house. Perhaps sensing her mood, the other two were quiet as they walked. She would have wanted them to talk, to argue, anything to take her mind off her father. But she kept silent. She didn't think she could speak without trembling.

It seemed almost like an eternity when they finally reached her house. Koneko told the other two to wait outside as she entered the silent hut, feeling her stomach sink even deeper. She peered into the rooms where she knew her father would be, hoping that he wasn't busy practicing or meditating. She went to the backyard when she didn't find him in any of the rooms. But he wasn't there either. Frowning, Koneko thought she'd try her room and turned around. But as she passed by the kitchen, she saw something that made her frown deeper.

The dishes they used last night were still on the table, along with the now spoiled leftovers. She stepped closer to take a look, seeing that it had already attracted insects. It was just as she had left it last night. As if no one had returned to the house until now.

Koneko frantically searched for her father, not finding him in any of the rooms. She went to the front yard. But all she could see were Kenshin and Kaoru's worried faces. She searched through the entire hut one last time before she told them what's wrong.

"My father isn't here!"

"Nani?!" Kaoru's eyes widened.

"Didn't he return from last night?" Kenshin asked.

Koneko shook her head. "The dishes we used last night hasn't been washed. My father would have washed them before they attracted insects."

Kenshin thought for a moment. "Do you know where he might be?"

"Iie. He's usually home by morning."

"Where could he be?" Kaoru asked.

Koneko shook her head again. "I don't know. I don't have any idea where to look for him."

"We'll help look for him de gozaru." Kenshin offered, smiling gently. "In the meantime, you can stay with us."

"Hai," Kaoru agreed. "I wouldn't want you to stay here alone."

"Iie," Koneko replied. "I think I'll stay here. In case my father comes back."

"Are you sure, Koneko?"

"Hai, I'm sure."

Kenshin nodded in understanding. "Come visit us if your father hasn't returned."

"I will. Sayonara."

"Sayonara." 

Koneko watched them until she could no longer see them. She was glad of their invitation to stay with them; she had grown to like their company. But she still had to take care of her father. She washed the dishes first, throwing away the spoiled leftovers. Then she brought out a broom to sweep the floors.

The soft creak of a foot stepping on loose flooring warned her of an intruder. Koneko silently put down her broom, slipping her hand to her hidden dagger. There was another creak of a second footfall. She carefully slipped towards the source of the creaks, making sure that her footsteps didn't creak as well. She neared her father's room, seeing the shadow standing in the middle of it.

"Koneko."

Koneko froze at the sound of her father's voice. "O-otosan?"

"You had to come back." her father's voice was disgusted. "You brought dishonor to your family and you had to come back."

"Otosan, I didn't mean to-"

"Quiet." Koneko shut her mouth. "I spoke with the Ranmyaku-gumi. They were willing to forgive your actions last night if you do one thing."

Koneko kept silent, dreading his next words. Her father's conditions were always difficult to achieve, and so were the Ranmyaku's. But she had a duty to do it if it brought honor back to her family.

He flung something to her feet, something long and dark. A sword. Koneko looked up at her father, saw the anger glinting in his eyes.

"With this sword, you are to challenge Battousai - and kill him."


	7. Challenging a Friend

"N-nani?!" Koneko stared at her father in shock. "But I don't even know who Battousai is!"

Tetsuo snorted. "You don't know? You have befriended him and you don't know?" he snorted again, disgust evident in his eyes. "Then you're too stupid to be my daughter."

Koneko gasped, her stomach falling deeper into despair. "O-otosan-"

"Quiet." He stepped closer to her, his face menacing. "You will use this sword, and you will challenge Battousai with it." Then he turned, and started to leave. "I will be at the Inoue district with the Ranmyaku. We will finish what you ruined for us."

He was gone by the time Koneko realized that she was alone. She had dropped her gaze to the sword at her feet, wondering - and fearing, who Battousai had to be. She remembered the stories - of Battousai attacking with incredible speed, of Battousai striking without warning to his victims. He was a legend among the assassin groups. Small-time assassins like her father can only hope to learn from him; and develop a fighting technique that could match the Hiten Mitsurugi. A technique like the Hidden Sword.

Koneko sank to her knees, feeling the world spin around her. There's only one man among her new friends who could be Battousai.

"Kenshin-san." She whispered to herself, still staring at the sword. She couldn't fight him. She couldn't kill him. He was a friend, one who had saved her life.

Her hand reached out unconsciously, grasping the sword's hilt. She watched, detachedly, as her other hand slowly slid the sword out of its sheath. The light streaming in from the windows glinted off the slim blade - a work of fine craftsmanship from its tip to its simple wrapped-leather hilt. Koneko could never afford a sword like this with her own money. And her father had told her to use it.

She rotated the sword until it was pointing at her. Then she lowered it to her stomach. She closed her eyes. Koneko could never kill a friend.

Koneko couldn't also kill herself.

She cried out in frustration and flung the sword away from her. It clattered to the far end of the room where the sunlight wouldn't touch. She dropped her hands to her knees, feeling the pressure of the bandage on her wound. It would be cowardice to kill herself now. She hadn't even challenged him yet. Honor dictates that she follow through with her father's wishes or she would bring further dishonor upon her family. Honor also dictates that if she failed, she would have to take her own life to atone for it. But if Kenshin was victorious against her...

Sanosuke had said that Battousai vowed not to kill again, a long time ago. Koneko would probably be saved in that case. But her father said she had to kill...

She clenched her hands into fists, blinking back tears that threatened to fall. She pushed herself off the floor and went to pick up the sword, bringing its leather sheath with her. She slid the sword back into its protective covering quickly, decisively, before going to her room to change. Her practice clothes were still hidden underneath all her folded kimonos, still soft and supple for her to move easily. She transferred her dagger into her new outfit and strapped the sword to her waist. She was ready.

Koneko kept her face devoid of any emotion when she left the hut, walking back to the Kamiya dojo. The sword was a strange weight pulling at her side, even though it was considerably lighter than Kaoru's shinai.

The thought of the black-haired girl almost made her stumble, but she speedily regained her balance and kept walking. What would Kaoru think of her now? Koneko would challenge Kenshin...and either kill him or force him to watch as she committed suicide. She would hate Koneko for making them suffer. And Koneko would probably hate herself during the entire fight. 

She was nearly there by the time she noticed that her wound was throbbing. Her clothes were short enough for her bandaged leg to show, and she quickly inspected it. For all the walking she did, Koneko was surprised to find that there wasn't any blood on the bandage. Megumi knows her craft well. 

"Don't call me 'chan'!" Koneko heard Yahiko's voice first before the Kamiya dojo came into view. It wasn't much to look at, but Koneko knew the lessons being taught here weren't as deficient as the dojo's appearance. As she looked, she saw Yahiko biting down on the head of brown-haired Sano who was clearly having a time trying to dislodge Kaoru's student. 

Koneko stood outside the entrance, hesitating. She didn't know what to say to Kaoru and the others. She didn't want to face their accusing eyes at all. 

But it was Kaoru who saw her first. 

"Okaeri, Koneko!" the black-haired instructor rushed to greet her, her cheerful greeting catching the attention of the bickering pair who started to approach. 

"Kaoru-san," Koneko said, forcing herself to calm down. "is Kenshin-san here?" 

"He's in the kitchen, cooking. Nanda?"

"There's something I need to tell him. Can you please...call him out here?"

Kaoru frowned in puzzlement but did as she asked. For that, Koneko was glad. She didn't want to step into the dojo. She didn't want to intrude on the hospitality of her friends when she was about to...challenge one of them.

"Oi, Neko-chan!" Sano called as he neared. "What are you doing out there? Come on in!"

"Arigatou, Sanosuke-san," she kept her gaze on the ground. "But I would much rather stay here."

"Nanda?" Yahiko demanded. "Did somebody attack you?"

"Iie," Koneko shook her head sadly. "I'm only waiting for Kenshin-san."

The red-haired man appeared at that moment, calmly stepping out of the dojo with Kaoru behind him. "Ohayo, Koneko-dono. Have you found your father?"

"Hai, Kenshin-san. My father came back to the hut a while ago."

"That's good news! Was he worried about you?"

"Iie." She clenched her fists and looked straight into Kenshin's violet eyes. She must follow through on what she came here for. "K-Kenshin-san, I..." she took a deep breath. "I came here to challenge Battousai. A fight to the death."

"Koneko!" Kaoru gasped, as everyone's eyes widened with shock. All except Kenshin, who remained calm as he stood in front of her.

"You came to challenge Sessha?" he repeated.

"Hai." Koneko dropped her gaze. "There is a field near here. I will wait there while you prepare yourself."

"Koneko, you can't be serious!" Kaoru reached out and grabbed her shoulder just as she was about to leave. "You can't fight Kenshin! He's your friend!"

"Hai, Kaoru-san. He is my friend." Koneko smiled and gently removed Kaoru's hand. "Please, Kaoru-san, don't make this any harder for me than it already is."

She turned away, and walked to the field she had mentioned, wishing that one of them might be smart enough to send a blade flying to her back. But it was a foolish wish. None of them would calmly kill a friend - even one who would betray their friendship. They were too noble to do that. What of Koneko then?

It wasn't long for her to reach the field, though she slowed her steps a bit to hopefully delay the fight. She had noticed this field on her way back to the Kamiya dojo, thinking that it would be secluded enough for her purposes. She didn't want anyone to witness what she was about to do. Kenshin is a good man; a great friend. And she was about to betray his trust.

She sagged against a tree and waited, trying to keep her mind focused on the upcoming fight. But it was of no use. She kept thinking about the suffering she would cause. All done for her father.

"You don't look as if you want to continue this fight." Kenshin's soft voice came to her.

"Iie, I don't want to continue this fight." she turned to face him, bringing her hand to her sword. "But I have to."

"You have to?"

"It is...a matter of honor." she bent her knees into her fighting stance, noticing the absence of people behind him. "You didn't bring any of your friends with you?"

"They aren't just my friends, Koneko-dono." Kenshin corrected, standing calmly at the spot where he stopped. "They are my family."

"Family." She repeated, bending her knees into her fighting stance. "Then you know why I'm doing this."

"Sessha knows," he nodded. "and Sessha won't fight with you."

She paused in her stance. "Why not?"

"Because, Koneko-dono, Sessha values your friendship more than life."

Koneko froze. He valued her friendship? Did he actually mean that? But no...she had her duty. And she needed to finish it. "Draw your sword!"

Kenshin smiled calmly. "You know Sessha won't, Koneko-dono."

She glared at him. Why was he being so stubborn? Koneko can't fight someone who doesn't want to fight her! She clutched the hilt of her sword. If he wouldn't draw his sword, then maybe she should just make him do it.

She charged at him, quickly eating up the distance between them. At the last moment, she slid her sword free - and aimed for his neck.


	8. Learning and Winning

Standard disclaimers apply.

*********

**Chapter 8: Learning and Winning**

Koneko watched as her blade came closer to its target - and stopped. The sword hovered just an inch away from skin.

Kenshin didn't even flinch once. He looked at her gently with his violet eyes, not angry nor judging. They were just...gentle.

Koneko slowly withdrew the sword. Kenshin was truly set in his way. He wouldn't fight her.

And she couldn't fight him like that. She couldn't.

"K-Kenshin-san?"

"Hai de gozaru?"

"Please tell Kaoru-san..." she sank to her knees. "Tell her that...I'm sorry for all the trouble I caused." And she leveled the sword to herself.

Kenshin's hand shot out before she could do anything, seizing her wrist in his strong grip. "Don't, Koneko-dono."

"I must, Kenshin-san!" she struggled to twist her wrist out of his grasp. For someone so lanky he was surprisingly strong. "I must bring back my family's honor!"

"How did you lose it in the first place, de gozaru? Was it because of Hiroshi?"

Koneko blinked at him. Did he know? Just as suddenly, he tugged on the hilt of her sword, pulling it away from her before she could catch herself. "K-Kenshin-san!"

"Was it because of Hiroshi, Koneko-dono?" he repeated, keeping her sword away from her reaching hands, gazing at her steadily. "What really happened that night?"

His voice was neither accusatory nor judgmental; just a calm tone of voice as though he were greeting her politely. Should she tell him? Of her father's involvement? Or should she wait for something else to happen so she could make a grab for her sword? Something...

"My-my father is a hired assassin." she blurted out, her eyes on her sword. "He has been, for a long time. The Ranmyaku-gumi was just the latest to have hired him."

"And they had planned to assassinate Hiroshi last night?"

"Hai." she nodded, her eyes still trained on her sword. If she can keep him focused on talking... "And fool as I was, I went and ruined it. I shamed my father in front of his own employers."

"And for this, you challenged Sessha?"

"I did it...for my family's honor."

His gaze softened. "Koneko-dono..."

She reacted without thinking. She pushed herself off from the ground and barreled into him, grabbing her sword from his hand. She spun to face him, as he quickly twisted his body and regained his stance.

"And I have to do this...to atone for my failure." she started to push the sword towards her.

"But Koneko-dono is not a failure."

Koneko froze, the blade's tip touching soft cloth.

"Koneko-dono earned honor for herself by doing what was right, and not what others think is right."

Her hands shook. Her father was always in the right, fighting against the people he hated. But Kenshin and his friends...family had long accepted the Europeans. And they didn't seem to be betraying Japan in any way. What is right?

"Koneko-dono," he approached her calmly. "honor is not earned by killing for power. Honor is earned by saving lives...and protecting their happiness."

"That's not what my father taught..." she whispered.

"Your father taught that family honor should rise above everything, including doing what is right. Sessha believes that honor earned by doing what is right, is more important than family honor."

His words sank into her mind, bringing with it fleeting glimpses of the times she used her dagger to help strangers. She remembered how grateful those strangers were, and the number of friends she had met. Including Chihiro-san. Chihiro-san had always thought of her highly, even if she sometimes caused the portly woman to lose money in repairs.

She lowered her sword. "Kenshin-san?"

"Aa de gozaru?"

"My father is at the Inoue district with the Ranmyaku-gumi. They will be attacking Hiroshi again tonight."

He nodded. "Then we must go and stop them."

"Hai." she sheathed the sword at her waist. "But you must allow me to face my father first. He will be suspicious if he sees you with me."

"Hai, de gozaru. Sessha will be behind you, just in case."

They both hurried to the Inoue district, Koneko feeling dread settle in her stomach once again. But beyond that dread she felt...security...and strength. She was going to stop the Ranmyaku's plans again. And this time, she knew she was doing what's right.

Even if it meant stopping her father.

Koneko's wound stung as she ran, reminding her of her injury. She hoped she wouldn't have to fight anyone when they reached the Inoue district.

The Inoue district was bustling when they arrived. People were walking around the streets, chatting amiably with each other. And standing in the midst of the milling crowd, Koneko saw a tall man with a silver lock to his hair.

"Otosan..." she whispered to herself, signaling Kenshin to hide. But when she looked around, he was nowhere to be seen. He must have seen Tetsuo as well and hid.

She took a deep breath and approached her father.

"So you've challenged Battousai." he said without turning around.

"Hai, otosan."

"And you have won?"

Koneko hesitated, thinking of how she should answer him. Then, she decided to tell him half the truth. "Hai, I've won." She did win; she won against the wrong her father taught her.

"So Battousai is dead."

She didn't answer that. Kenshin was actually far from dead.

Tetsuo finally turned around. Instead of the pleased look Koneko expected, her father's eyes danced with anger. "You have never been able to lie very well, Koneko."

"Otosan?"

"I know you, Koneko. You would never kill any of your friends. You were too weak to do so."

She kept silent. Her father was right in saying that she would never kill her friends. But saying that she was weak?

"But it doesn't matter." The anger in his eyes was replaced by cold triumph. "Okawara has gone ahead to deal with Hiroshi, leaving me to challenge Battousai himself. By the time our fight is finished, the Ranmyaku has killed Hiroshi and the Meiji government will learn fear."

"And what do you wish to happen after this?" Kenshin's calm voice came from behind her. Koneko didn't bother looking at him. "Violence begets violence. Killing people has never done much good."

"Speak for yourself, Hitokiri Battousai." Tetsuo unsheathed his sword. "You who killed even more than any assassin did. You who brought the Meiji Era upon us. And you expect me to believe that killing will not do anything to change the government?" he smirked and crouched into his fighting stance. "I challenge you, Battousai! And with your death, the Ranmyaku will triumph over the so-called progress that is happening to this country."

Kenshin didn't move from his spot. He kept his eyes trained on Tetsuo before him, though his hand moved ever closer to the hilt of his sword.

"Wait!" Koneko cried, stepping forward. "I will answer your challenge, otosan."

Chapter 9


	9. Victory and Honor

Standard disclaimers apply.

*********

**Chapter 9: Victory and Honor**

"You?!" Tetsuo barked in laughter. "You want to fight me?"

"Stay back, Koneko-dono," Kenshin told her in a low voice. "This really isn't your fight."

"Iie, Kenshin-san." she shook her head and brought out her sword. "I'm making this mine."

"Koneko-dono-"

"You go and stop the Ranmyaku-gumi from killing Hiroshi. I will stay here to fight my father."

"Do you even realize what you are saying, Koneko?" Tetsuo asked coldly. "Why don't you let your friend fight me instead?"

"Because this is the only way that will make you understand." Koneko retorted. She turned to Kenshin. "Please, Kenshin-san. Let me fight my father alone. You've taught me what it really takes to earn honor, and now I want to show my father that he is wrong. And for this, I need to defeat him myself."

Kenshin stared at her, conflicting emotions in his eyes: concern, anger, calm.

"Please, Kenshin-san."

Finally, he nodded. "Be careful, Koneko-dono."

"Hai. Arigatou, Kenshin."

The red-haired man gave a final nod and left. Koneko turned back to face her father, to finally teach him that she wasn't the weakling he thought she was.

A crowd had gathered by this time, attention riveted at the upcoming fight. She remembered the crowd at the market, when she defended Chihiro and the other merchants. Only this time she was facing her own father, the master of the Hidden Sword. Could she defeat him?

"You are foolish to think that you can defeat me." Tetsuo said, positioning himself to execute the Dance of Illusion. "Where did you learn the Hidden Sword Technique?"

"From you, otosan." she replied calmly, preparing herself to counter his move. "I've been watching you practice."

He smirked. "Then I will show you that learning by watching is not enough to master the Hidden Sword."

Tetsuo charged at her, his sword's blade trailing. He jumped to one side when he was just a few steps away, swinging his sword to her right. Koneko quickly brought her own up to deflect it, adding in enough force to meet her father's. He twisted his body and swung to her other side but she jumped back in time to avoid it. She pressed closer and made a swing of her own, which he blocked easily.

"Illusion of Light." He quickly swung his sword in a series of slashes, allowing the light to touch his blade for an impressive display of flashes.

Koneko blocked each of his strikes, keeping her eyes focused on his arms and not on his blade. She kept up her parries, their swords clashing, until one moment - when she made a split-second slash right after a block.

Her father stepped back, glancing at the thin red line in his arm. "First blood. I've underestimated you." He shifted his grip. "Only once."

He charged again, weaving in and out in quick succession until Koneko was hard pressed to keep her parrying.

He swung at her low. Koneko jumped to avoid his strike. She had barely recovered her balance when he whirled around for a second swing.

Koneko made a desperate parry, twirling her body to avoid the blade - when sudden fire shot through her leg.

She cried out, dropping to her knee. Her injury from that night burned painfully and blood appeared on the bandage around it. She had re-opened her wound.

Tetsuo stood above her. "Once I'm done with you, I will be joining the Ranmyaku in killing Battousai. Then, no one will be left to oppose us."

He drew his sword back for his final strike - and swung.

Koneko speedily grabbed her dagger and thrust it towards the incoming blade. Metal clashed, making her father draw back in surprise.

"You forget, I still have my dagger." she told him and, leg burning, rose to her feet. "I am not yet finished."

Her father's grip tightened on his sword, his knuckles turning white. "So am I."

He swung towards her again, and this time she crossed both dagger and sword to block it. Before he could retaliate, she launched into her own Dance of Illusion, using mainly her sword. She kept her dagger in her hand, waiting for its chance to strike.

She slashed towards his middle, his sword meeting hers halfway. His sword preoccupied, she thrust at him with her dagger. But he quickly brought his own dagger to block her, triumph in his eyes.

"You forget, I have my own dagger." he said triumphantly and tried to stab her chest.

She drew back her dagger and parried successfully. "Iie, otosan. I did not forget."

Keeping her sword interlocked with his, she then jerked forward - and let the hilt of her dagger jab his abdomen.

Tetsuo grunted and tried to step back. But his sword was still locked. He moved in again for another strike and Koneko let him. His dagger seared along her upper arm and she winced. But before he could move, she brought up her own dagger and struck the side of his head with all her strength.

Her father fell back, slightly dazed; his sword clattering to the ground. She had only used the hilt to strike at him.

She stood over him now, with sword and dagger at her sides.

"So. You've won...daughter." he smiled ironically. "You know what you have to do."

"Hai, I do know." She put back her dagger. "But I also know that I don't have to do it." She slid her sword into its sheath. "Kenshin taught me that earning honor was doing the right thing. And killing does not do anyone much good."

"And you believe him?" Tetsuo snorted. "You would believe Battousai over your own father?"

"I believe him because I know that he is right. I'm only sorry that you don't understand."

There were shouts as police officers arrived, drawn by the crowd. "What's going on here?"

"The Ranmyaku tried to assassinate Hiroshi-san again, officers." Kenshin's voice floated amidst the noise. "They're all waiting at his house, being watched over by his guards." He smiled at her, looking none the worse for wear. "Daijoubu de gozaru yo?"

"I won." She smiled triumphantly at Kenshin before turning to the officers. "That man there is also a member of the Ranmyaku." She gestured to her father. "He was going to help them with the assassination."

"Are you sure about this, Koneko-dono?" Kenshin asked, approaching her. "He is your father."

"Hai, Kenshin-san, I'm sure. If he spends enough time to think, perhaps he will understand your beliefs."

"Sessha hopes so too."

They both watched as the officers brought Tetsuo away. For the first time, Koneko felt as though a constricting burden had been lifted from her chest. Her father was gone. She didn't have to go back to their hut and find him waiting. She doesn't have a duty to her father anymore. Except visit him, of course.

"Koneko-dono?" Kenshin broke her thoughts.

"Hai?"

"Sessha thinks we'd better go back to Megumi-dono." He smiled gently. "You're bleeding again."

She laughed, for the first time in days. It felt good to laugh again. Her pain from her injuries quickly faded, replaced by a light-hearted feeling she hasn't felt in a long time. "That's the second time you've told me that, Kenshin-san. But hai, we'd better go back to Megumi-san."

Epilogue


	10. Epilogue

Standard disclaimers apply.

*********

**Epilogue**

"If you ruin all my work again, I won't be treating you!" Megumi threatened as she wrapped a new bandage around Koneko's leg. "You're as bad as Sano!"

"Oro?"

"But I treat you with respect, Megumi-san!" Koneko protested.

Megumi paused just long enough to wave a bandage at her face. "You will, if you don't ruin my work."

"H-hai, Megumi-san."

"Maa maa, Megumi-dono," Kenshin pleaded. "Koneko-dono just came from a fight-"

"Of course I know that! Why else would you be here?"

"Kenshin!" Kaoru's concerned face barged in on them from the doorway. "Kenshin! Daijoubu desuka?"

"Sessha is fine, Kaoru-dono." The red-haired man grinned reassuringly at the Kamiya Kasshin instructor.

She smiled at him, brightening. "I'm glad."

"I'm done." Megumi announced, starting to gather her things. "Remember, no fights."

"Wakaremashita." Koneko answered, hopping off the table. "Arigatou gozaimasu, Megumi-san."

The lady doctor nodded as she set her things back in one of her cabinets. Koneko turned to the couple standing by the doorway.

"Kenshin-san?"

"Hai de gozaru."

She hesitated before answering. "I'm going back to the market. Would you...come with me? At least until we reach its entrance?"

"Hai!" Kaoru replied for him. "We'll go with you."

"A-arigatou." The three of them left, after saying goodbye to the lady doctor, and began walking to the market.

Koneko glanced at Kaoru, wondering what the other lady was thinking. She wasn't sure what the Kamiya Kasshin instructor might be feeling, after she had challenged her man. Even if she hadn't hurt Kenshin. But still, she had challenged him.

"Koneko?" Kaoru called softly.

"H-hai?"

"Why did you let the police take your father?"

Koneko looked at her, puzzled.

"Kenshin told me what happened."

Koneko nodded, considering her words for a moment. "My father hated Europeans. And since I can't convince him otherwise, I thought it would be best if he stayed in a place where he wouldn't be able to do much harm." She smiled sadly at them. "He had a lot of visitors recently. And not all of them were of the Ranmyaku-gumi."

"But wouldn't you have stopped him then?" Kenshin asked.

"I would," Koneko sighed, thinking of her fight. Her father had called her 'daughter'. Something he had never done in years. But it only made her suspicious. "But my father is the kind of man who wouldn't let anything stop him. Not even me." She stared ahead. "Family would have stopped him. But he didn't consider me as family. He wouldn't, not to his employers."

She felt a hand on her shoulder. Kaoru. "Gomen ne, Koneko. Your father is a hard man."

"Daijoubu," Koneko smiled at her reassuringly. "It would have been different, if he wasn't. And I have long accepted him for that."

"It's good that you understand, Koneko-dono." Kenshin commented. "Not many people do."

"Hai." She looked ahead. "Kaoru-san?"

"Didn't I tell you to just call me 'Kaoru'?"

"Gomen." Koneko ducked her head. "Then, you're not angry at me?"

"Angry? Why would I be angry?"

"I-I challenged Kenshin. I broke your trust. Aren't you angry?"

Kaoru laughed. "Koneko, I still trust you. You're my friend. And you didn't have a choice in that matter."

"Sano even challenged Sessha once." Kenshin added, bemused.

"H-he did?" Koneko stared at him. "Who won?"

"Kenshin, who else?" Kaoru said dryly. "Sano is no match for Kenshin."

"Of course." She grinned in agreement. "Not many can be a match for Kenshin-san." She grinned wider. "Except for Kaoru."

"Oro?"

"Nani?!"

Koneko laughed at the incredulous looks on their faces. "You two are so obvious! You may not be married but you already act like you are. You really should do it soon, you know."

"Orororo?" Kenshin glanced at his lady, both their faces red. Koneko just laughed again.

They had reached the edge of the market by this time, and Koneko started forward.

"Koneko?"

She turned back to them.

"I just want to know," Kaoru began. "Why are you going back here?"

Koneko smiled. "I thought I might join Chihiro-san after all. I don't want my skills to go to waste."

"That's wonderful, Koneko." Kaoru nodded in approval. "You could help a lot of people."

"Hai, that's what I thought too." She bowed to them. "Arigatou gozaimasu. For everything."

"You're welcome." Kenshin replied and turned to leave.

Koneko grinned as he absently caught Kaoru's hand in his own. "And Kaoru?"

"Hai?"

"If you don't mind, I'd love to go back and learn more of the Kamiya Kasshin."

***

A/N:

Finally! It's finished! Whoo! Now I can relax. Anyway, a few acknowledgements are in order. Thanks to **Seychella**, your questions helped me write this part and your compliment was the highest I've ever gotten for a fanfiction. Thanks also to **Minakokiss**, your early review got me pushing to finish this fic. To **Kira** and **Venusskies**, thanks for your reviews. You were the ones who really pushed me to keep writing as much as I can. And finally, thanks to **Onna**, for whom I wrote this fic.

For all my readers, thanks too for sticking with me till this part. It really means a lot to me since I'm not a big fan of RK. So now that you've given me my chance, I'll now leave the RK category to its real fans. Thanks once again!


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